The National Restaurant Association is asking congressional leaders to ensure the restaurant industry is being considered as lawmakers continue crafting bills in the House and the Senate that will impact the industry.
In a letter to both Republican and Democratic representatives the NRA details industry priorities for the conference report of the U.S. Competition legislation and requesting that the following proposals are included:
- Reinstate the tariff exclusion process and remove all tariffs that affect the food supply chain.
- Prevent new rules from disrupting the seafood supply chain.
- Protect secret ballot elections for workers rather than a new compulsory "card check" process.
"Streamlining supply chains and reducing trade barriers will help restaurants address mounting costs and challenging economic conditions. Additionally, avoiding burdensome overregulation and excluding unrelated labor provisions will ensure broad support from restaurants concerned with expanded federal rules," stated the letter, authored by Sean Kennedy, executive vice president, public affairs for the NRA.
The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S. 1260) includes language that would require the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to reinstate the exclusion process for products subject to tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, according to the letter.
"Reestablishing a fair, transparent and retroactive exclusion process for products subject to the 301 tariffs is crucial to address the harm these tariffs have inflicted on American businesses and consumers," Kennedy stated.
From March 2021 to March 2022, average wholesale food costs increased 17.1%, representing the largest 12-month increase since 1974, according to the letter. Tariffs increase costs on equipment, materials and suppliers while placing a financial burden on the U.S supply chain, stated Kennedy.
"While we continue to support removing the additional tariffs on U.S. companies and China's retaliatory tariffs, we believe reinstituting the section 301 exclusion process is critical to providing relief for our nation's restaurants. We request the conference committee adopt the exclusion process in the Senate's U.S. Innovation and Competition Act," he stated in the letter.
In addition the letter stated that the America COMPETES Act, H.R. 4521, includes provisions that would be harmful to the restaurant industry and the entire seafood supply chain.
"While we strongly support efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, this provision will not achieve the desired goal as stated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration," wrote Kennedy.
The industry group is also concerned regarding language in the House bill that would allow unionization of workplaces through the collection of signed authorization cards, versus through secret ballot elections.
"Workers should be free to vote their conscience, in private, rather than be subject to coercion and intimidation by those who collect authorization cards. We ask the committee to exclude this 'card check' language in the final report," stated the letter.
The NRA is also encouraging lawmakers to ratify the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (S. 3580/H.R. 4996), which passed both chambers, as soon as possible.
"The reforms in this legislation will help address systemic supply chain and port disruption issues which have increased during the pandemic," stated the letter.
NRA lobbies lawmakers on industry priorities for pending legislation - Fast Casual
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